How do you determine if a 4runner is new?

L

LUVDA4RUNNER

New member
I am looking at a 2011 Limited. The salesman knew I was planning to buy this particular vehicle once I was finished w/some refinancing.
Well I am ready to buy now, have not seen the 4runner on the lot for the past 2 weeks.
Find out one of the salesperson has been driving. It had 3 miles when I test drove it now it has around 200.
Go to look at the car on the lot because my salesman told me it would be there. Whoever is driving has left their junk in the vehicle and it has not been clean.
Is this still considered new? Out of 13 4runners on the lot they had to take the one I want and drive it. And the salesperson knew I planned to comeback and buy it.
Not sure how to proceed. I am going in to possible buy it tomorrow. Any help as to how to address this would be appreciated.
 
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two hundred miles really isnt anything,but I personally would be a bit peeved about that situation, especially if I saw someone elses crap in the vehicle, and to be honest would insist that the dealer find me another one with low miles.
 
200 miles wouldn't be "new" to me. I'd tell them they either need to find a "new" vehicle, or they need to cut me a significant deal.

I can't speak for anyone else, but my truck had 9 miles on it when I left the lot. And most of those 9 came from when the sales lady drove it from a sister company's lot to their lot so that I could buy it.
 
It's still new. If you want it- buy it and if not well, then go on down the road. If you don't buy it then somebody else will. Don't be petty...it isn't going to bother that dealer a bit if you walk.

Besides, if you expect him to discount it further then he's not making any money. The same as if you never existed.
 
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Yep, still considered new. I came across this a lot with the local dealers. All the managers would drive them for months as their personal transportation, called it a "soft demo". Saw one with over 1200 miles on it..

They told me as long as it had never had a previous owner/title transfer, it was still "NEW".
 
that is so far from acceptable to me its not even funny...

How do you think this toyota worker drove this car, esp in such a vulnerable time for the vehicle. Not clean and his crap in it? it obviously shows an obvious disregard for the vehicle.

I would not buy that 4runner at all and honestly I would go to another dealer, that is just disrespectful.

When I spoke with my dealer I told them if it had more than 3 miles they were wasting my time. If I am dropping 40k cash (MSRP) on a truck, it damn well better be MY truck. Not a truck for the dealership to whore around until I decide to buy.
 
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Its up to you if you buy it based on the added miles, but its legally new if it was never registered. If you bought it, and then ran a CARFAX on it, you would be listed as the first owner.
 
mine had about 176 when i bought it "new". they transported it between dealers in NJ. has 4200 on it now. runs great, feels great, all is good. i bothered me a lil bit at 1st but I feel i got a good deal on it.

was listed for 32,800 got it for 29,800. idk lol
 
LUVDA4RUNNER said:
I am looking at a 2011 Limited. The salesman knew I was planning to buy this particular vehicle once I was finished w/some refinancing.
Well I am ready to buy now, have not seen the 4runner on the lot for the past 2 weeks.
Find out one of the salesperson has been driving. It had 3 miles when I test drove it now it has around 200.
Go to look at the car on the lot because my salesman told me it would be there. Whoever is driving has left their junk in the vehicle and it has not been clean.
Is this still considered new? Out of 13 4runners on the lot they had to take the one I want and drive it. And the salesperson knew I planned to comeback and buy it.
Not sure how to proceed. I am going in to possible buy it tomorrow. Any help as to how to address this would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Here in CT it is considered "New" as long as it has not been registered yet. Most likely, they ran it with dealer plates so it was never registered. I would negotiate a price that is fair to you
 
Dealer

I own 3 RV Dealerships... the unit is considered new by all states if it has not been titled and is still on an MSO... that allows dealership personnel to drive the car or truck as a demo (a perk at a dealership where there usually aren't many perks) and the dealer himself usually has a demo for driving... as might his wife.

What will trigger a used designation is the car or truck has been titled into an individual's name or the name of a company. Just remember, it may be "new" but it may not be "unused"...

Dave Bane
Augdog1964
Soon hopefully to find a red TE
 
It's going to vary by state, but the Federal (US Code) definition of a new car is:
(d) The term “new automobile” means an automobile the equitable or legal title to which has never been transferred by a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer to an ultimate purchaser.
Click to expand...

While the Federal Trade Commission defines a "used" car as:
B. "Used Vehicle" Defined -- Section 455.1(d)(2)
Under the Rule, the term "used vehicle" includes all vehicles that have been "driven more than the limited use
necessary in moving or road testing a new vehicle prior to delivery to a consumer." This definition, therefore,
includes demonstrators and company cars. n5 However, a vehicle sold as scrap or for its parts and not as an
operating vehicle is specifically excluded from the definition of used vehicle, if the dealer surrenders any title
documents to the appropriate state authority and obtains a salvage certification. Illustrations 2.5 and 2.7 discuss the
application of the Rule to demonstrator vehicles. Illustration 2.6 discusses how the Rule applies when a vehicle is
transferred from one dealer to another.
n 5 As used in these guidelines, the term "demonstrator" refers to "new" vehicles that have never been sold to a
retail customer, but have been driven for purposes other than test drives or moving. This may include use by the
dealer, the dealer's employees, the dealer's corporate officers, or anyone else.
C.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the wonky formatting.
 
Hawkdog21 said:
that is so far from acceptable to me its not even funny...

How do you think this toyota worker drove this car, esp in such a vulnerable time for the vehicle. Not clean and his crap in it? it obviously shows an obvious disregard for the vehicle.

.
Click to expand...

Well said, could not agree more! A few miles from previous test drives are fine, nothing you can do about it. A couple hundred as a dealership 'demo', I would pass on it. Technically it may still be 'new' but I would never own it. Did they do anything wrong, honestly not really. If you did not have a deposit on it they can do whatever they want. They could have sold it the same day they got it on the lot. I have been looking at a new Escape for the wife, 2 dealerships have exactly what we want, they know it and I know it. I do not have a deposit down, they are free to do whatever they want to with or to the car. They know we are going to do something soon, but no way are they going to hold it for me, well not without a deposit. I saw my 4R the day it came in, had like 10 or 11 miles on it. I put a refundable deposit down ($100) on it on a Thursday night I think and came back on Monday to finalize the sale. The minute I put the deposit down on the 4R ONLY I was allowed to drive the 4R. I picked it up it 1 additional mile, they took it to fill it up, it only had an 1/8th when i drove it and was full upon pick up. I guess someone could have driven to the gas station with him but oh well, 1 mile is fine.

Getting back to the subject, sure if they really wanted your sale they would have held the 4R in 'new' condition for you. So either they thought you were not serious or they just don't care about you or your sale. In either case I would think about finding another dealer to purchases from or have them find you one with only a few miles on it.
 
I thought dealer plates had a very specific purpose which is not supposed to include dealership staff using inventory vehicles as personal daily drivers..
 
Mine had 30mi on it when I picked it up, because it was transferred (driven) from another dealership 21mi away. 200mi is just enough to have had paint work or other damage and repair. I wouldnt buy a "new" 4Runner with 200mi on it unless it was thousands below invoice. My $2. So Gay
 
DaveS said:
I thought dealer plates had a very specific purpose which is not supposed to include dealership staff using inventory vehicles as personal daily drivers..
Click to expand...
Ya, it has dealer plats on it. Oh well, probably not a big deal, just ticks me off a bit given it is a >$40K car.
 
negotiate a better deal or walk away...

since there is evidence (crap left in the car) that someone has been driving is as "demo" then I would negotiate with the dealer a better price and a full car detail. It may still be technically "new" but it's like buying the display model and the price should reflect that.

If you're not satisfied with the deal, then walk away, there's always another 4Runner down the road with fewer miles and nobody's crap left in it.
 
SeattleMike said:
With 200 miles on it? It's now a $34k car. The point of all the stuff I posted is that it can not be sold as "new".
Click to expand...

totally agree, to me the first 200 are far more important than say 2000-10000. I will never and have never bought a car with over 10 miles, like I said in my previous post. but moral of the story, either they cut you a fat fat deal or I would totally walk, that crazy in my eyes
 
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